Bill Johnston (tennis)

William Marquitz "Little Bill" Johnston (November 2, 1894 – May 1, 1946) was a former World No. 1 American tennis champion.

Bill Johnston was born November 2, 1894, in San Francisco, the son of Robert Johnston, an electrical plant mechanic and Margaret Burns, of Irish origin. Bill started to play tennis in early 1906, aged eleven, on the public asphalt courts in Golden Gate Park. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake the schools were closed and he spent much of his spare time practicing on the tennis courts. He achieved his first tournament victory at the 1910 Bay Counties junior singles competition.

In 1916 Johnston won the Cincinnati Open (now Cincinnati Masters) after Clarence Griffin defaulted in the Challenge Round. Johnston won the Longwood Challenge Cup, played on the Longwood Courts at Chestnut Hill, MA in 1913, 1916, 1919, 1920 and 1921.

During World War I Johnston served in the U.S. Navy.

Johnston was the co-World No. 1 player in 1919 and in 1922 respectively along with Gerald Patterson and Bill Tilden. He won the US Championships in 1915 and 1919, as well as the World Hard Court Championships (Clay) and Wimbledon in 1923.

Until "Big Bill" Tilden began to defeat him regularly in 1920, Johnston had been the best American player for a number of years and was ranked No.1 by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1915 and 1919. In July 1919 Johnston had defeated Tilden in the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships. A month later Johnston had beaten Tilden in three straight sets in the final of the 1919 US Championships, before Tilden overtook him in 1920. Johnston remained competitive with Tilden for the next seven or eight years, but was never able to beat Tilden in an important match again. For instance, in 1922 Johnston defeated Tilden three times out of four occasions but Tilden beat Johnston in the final of the U.S. Championships in five sets. In 1923, despite Johnston winning both the World Hard Court Championships and Wimbledon, he again failed to beat Tilden at the US Championships, losing in three one-sided sets. Johnston again threatened to get closer to beating Tilden on the big stage in following years, but memorably lost the 1925 US Championships final in five sets to Tilden. Together, Johnston and Tilden won seven consecutive Davis Cup trophies, from 1920 to 1926, a record that still stands. In September 1927 Johnston announced his retirement after the U.S. Davis Cup loss to the French team consisting of the 'Four Musketeers' and confirmed his decision in mid-1928. He turned down an offer to become professional.

Johnston was renowned for the power and deadliness of his forehand drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip, and which was considered the best forehand of his time.

After his tennis career Johnston was active in the brokerage industry. He died of tuberculosis on May 1, 1946 at the age of 51.

Bill Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1958.

William M. Johnston at serve

Singles: 9 (3 titles, 6 runners-up)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1915	U.S. Championships	Grass	Maurice McLoughlin	1–6, 6–0, 7–5, 10–8
Runner-up	1916	U.S. Championships	Grass	R. Norris Williams	6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 2–6, 4–6
Winner	1919	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up	1920	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	1–6, 6–1, 5–7, 7–5, 3–6
Runner-up	1922	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Winner	1923	Wimbledon	Grass	Frank Hunter	6–0, 6–3, 6–1
Runner-up	1923	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	4–6, 1–6, 4–6
Runner-up	1924	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	1–6, 7–9, 2–6
Runner-up	1925	U.S. Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	6–4, 9–11, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6

Doubles (3 titles)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1915	U.S. Championships	Grass	Clarence Griffin	Maurice E. McLoughlin Tom Bundy	2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Winner	1916	U.S. Championships	Grass	Clarence Griffin	Maurice E. McLoughlin Ward Dawson	6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
Winner	1920	U.S. Championships	Grass	Clarence Griffin	Roland Roberts Willis E. Davis	6–2, 6–2, 6–3

Mixed doubles (1 title)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1921	U.S. Championships	Grass	Mary Browne	Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Bill Tilden	3–6, 6–4, 6–3